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Hey all! After spending the last few months lurking and researching on CD, I've decided to jump in and ask a few questions from you whom I consider experts! Thank you so much in advance for taking the time to read all of this and respond, I know there are lots of questions on here!
A little background. I moved from the Dakotas last spring to Tucson to get away from the extended dry, bitter, and extreme winters. Additionally, I wanted to see what else is out there. Within a few months, I quickly realized Tucson is NOT the place for me. However, I LOVE the heat and lack of humidity, so that is not an issue. I'm just not a fan of the city, it seems too run down, dirty, and not terribly safe (in my opinion! And yes, I do understand every place has it's unsafe things.) I reside in a very safe neighborhood, but when outside of it for work, leisure, shopping, etc., the city just doesn't click with me, and it's starting to affect my normally positive attitude and outlook. So, I know I need to make a change to another city where I can find a job.
I was wondering if anyone could suggest some places to look into that would fit my "ideal" place. I know there is no such thing, you give and take, but I am trying to get as close as possible! I'm in my late 20s, no kids or anything tying me down, and can really pick up and go anywhere once I find a job in the new city.
Here's some items to help narrow some suggestions down:
Likes:
1. Climate: Lesser humidity and plentiful sunshine, I'd like 4 seasons. Fall leaves, snow in winter, mild beautiful spring, and warm, hot summers. I miss a nice blanket of snow in winter, however, I'd like it in a climate that doesn't allow it to stick around forever and ever. Think snow in maybe SLC or Denver?
2. Green!! I so miss green trees & grass in summer terribly. Flowers and gardens. (And colors in the fall.)
3. Outdoor activities, hiking, skiing, potentially with streams or waterfalls, mountains. Thinking hiking trails with some water features might be nice.
4. A body of water nearby, lake, river, etc. This can be a lesser factor if necessary.
5. Smaller cities. For reference, Tucson is an okay size that I can handle, maybe a bit smaller, but open to other suggestions. This could be a lesser factor if necessary.
6. Cleaner, safer cities. Don't we all.
7. Lower COL / Affordable housing – I'd eventually like to purchase a home, so affordable housing, groceries would be nice.
8. Lower unemployment/job potential/small business – I work full-time, but have a small business on the side, so somewhere that is on it's way up and also supportive of small businesses if I decide to go that route in the future. The business can be operated from home.
9. I don't mind the Midwest, I miss the niceness!! But places there are hard to find that meet my "ideal" criteria, unless you have some suggestions!
10. Slower pace, laid-back.
Dislikes:
1. The extreme cold. I love snow, but I cannot handle the -35 windchills, or weeks on end of below freezing temperatures. I can handle winters, but I'd like them to be more mild than an extreme Dakota one!
2. Desert landscape and dirt. I can't have my cake and eat it too! I love the heat, but just can't stand the brown and only green in desert plants. I need grass in yards, and lots bright green trees like back home. Also, I need to get away from the scorpions, etc. Ack!!
3. Big Cities – Ideally, I want a city that provides pretty much anything I'd need, but isn't gigantic. I have no desire to live in ANY downtown area of any city, no matter what the size. I can do suburbs or smaller cities much better.
4. California. While California has beautiful weather and probably fits many of these criteria, I refuse to move there lol.
I have been thinking Salt Lake City or Boise/Idaho Falls as places to check out. I like the thought of the midwest, but finding it hard to find something ideal there. I encourage you to suggest away as I know there are so many more I haven't thought of! I realize all criteria can't be met in one city, but just looking for some options to dig into. I need all the help I can get. If you have any other questions, please ask if it helps.
Thanks for the replies! I will look into these selections a bit closer. I will admit I am not terribly familiar with any cities/states in the east, but open to looking.
I had a close friend live in Bloomington for a few years, he just moved to Minneapolis this past year. I could ask him some more info on it if it'd be a good fit for me. This also seems like a nice size I'd like. I'm unfamiliar with the terrain there without looking at a map. Thanks for the suggestion, McdonaldIndy.
tpike2, I have looked into Asheville a bit, but wasn't quite sure how much snow they really get and how much humidity? It's actually one on my short list. The metro population of this size seems doable to me, and also a size I'd look into. It's 2011 metro estimate is ~429k. So if anyone has other city metros of this size in mind, please share, I'd appreciate that.
Coeur d'Alene might be a bit too cold for me (although pretty,) so I had thought Boise would be a bit better cold-wise and closer to a little more "action." I've never looked into Loveland or Lake Tahoe areas, nor do I know anything about Tennessee, but I do know it gets pretty humid there, right? Isn't Lake Tahoe expensive? I'll do some checking on these.
Mandalorian, I appreciate your comment, as I would definitely find a job before moving! However, I don't see it worth anyone's time or effort to just apply to random cities/places he or she doesn't know if they'll like. I'd like to find a little list of cities that fit within what I am looking for, do some more research, then do my applying once it has been narrowed down.
Also, does anyone have comments on SLC potential, or should I be looking elsewhere? It seemed to meet quite a few of my likes. Thanks again!!
Other than humidity, Greenville SC sounds like a good suggestion based on your criteria. I don't find it too humid, and it is at base of the Applachian mountains and it a little cooler here in the summer than most places in the southeast.
It is about 60 miles south of Asheville and much warmer in the winter, and it has more companies and jobs. Asheville is basically a retirement area. Housing is also much more affordable in Greenville than Asheville. It has a ton of restaurants and retail. Most people love the downtown area along Main Street which has a huge pedistrian bridge over a waterfall.
Knoxville is comparable to Greenville but Greenville is closer to the beach, Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta and Charlotte.
It doesn't snow much in Greenville despite being close to mountains. We usually get some ice in the winter.
Coeur d'Alene might be a bit too cold for me (although pretty,) so I had thought Boise would be a bit better cold-wise and closer to a little more "action." I've never looked into Loveland or Lake Tahoe areas, nor do I know anything about Tennessee, but I do know it gets pretty humid there, right? Isn't Lake Tahoe expensive? I'll do some checking on these.
Also, does anyone have comments on SLC potential, or should I be looking elsewhere? It seemed to meet quite a few of my likes. Thanks again!!
Boise is warmer than Coeur d'Alene.
I have lived in SLC and currently in Boise and would recommend Boise over SLC. Boise has a more significant outdoor vibe and is a much better city if you like to mountain bike and commute by bike. The downtown in Boise is more vibrant and relaxed compared to SLC and is very pedestrian and bike and beer friendly. The metro population in Boise is smaller which results in less crowded outdoors. Boise is also at the base of the largest forested areas in the west. SLC is dryer. Boise is more verdant, has more city parks, and a trout river runs through town that has a lot of trees along its banks. The river in the SLC valley is polluted and looks more like an irrigation ditch.
The options for outdoor activites in and around Boise is really hard to beat. Idaho has the most miles of rivers in the lower 48 and there are world class white water rivers within an hours drive of downtown. Lots of forests, mountains, and lakes to explore. The desert Canyonlands south of Boise are also amazing and much of that area is protected Wilderness so you don't have the bus loads of tourists and paved roads that ruin the experience.
Uncle Brad, kyle, and Syringaloid, thanks for your thoughtful and helpful posts!
Syringaloid, it is nice to hear a comparison from someone who has lived in both SLC and Boise. I'm all about the parks and trees, as well as the smaller, less busy/crowded outdoors and city as a whole. This definitely helps me to get a feel for the two in contrast, as they have been at the top of my cities to check out and I sway between the two.
One thing I have read is that Boise has less sunshine. Granted, AZ versus many places will always lose, but I found the average days of sun to be around 210 for Boise. That wasn't far off from where I used to live and I thought it was cloudy too much! No pun intended, but can you shed any light on that issue? What do you think of the sunshine? I have heard Boise is also nice and hot in the summer, which I do like the sound of that and still would like to have.
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I'm in my late 20s, no kids or anything tying me down, and can really pick up and go anywhere once I find a job in the new city.
